1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to cutting and trimming and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method for cutting and/or trimming a terminal end of a hose.
2. Disclosure Statement
The prior art has provided varied types of devices and mechanisms for the cutting and/or the trimming of a hose. Devices and mechanisms have been designed for the cutting and/or the trimming of hoses as simple as a conventional garden hose as well as heavy duty hoses capable of handling high pressure fluids. Many hoses incorporate a single or multiple layers of fibers to add mechanical strength to the sidewall of the hose. The incorporation of fibers or other materials within the sidewall of the hose not only adds mechanical strength to the hose but also reduces radial outward expansion of the hose when subjected to a high pressure fluids. However, the addition of the single or multiple layers of fibers within the sidewall of the hose impedes cutting and/or trimming of the hose.
Although, various types of hose cutting and/or trimming devices have been proposed by the prior art, most of these devices are overly complex, large and costly. Accordingly, many prior art hose cutting and/or trimming devices do not find wide spread use by hose consumers and are only used by hose manufacturers or hose distributors. Most hose consumers merely sever the hose with a conventional mechanical or electrical saw since the cost and transportability of the prior art hose cutting and/or trimming device are beyond the cost requirement and the use requirement of the hose consumer.
When a hose is severed by a cutting blade such as a hacksaw or a bandsaw, a serration pattern is produced on the terminal end of the hose. In many cases, the method of coupling the terminal end of the hose to the terminal end of another hose through a coupling does not require a smooth terminal edge. In these cases, the serration pattern on the terminal end of the hose does not cause an undue problem with regard to the operation of the hose and or the coupling.
In general, a new hose has a curl or bend due to the storage of the new hose on a drum or in a roll. Accordingly, when a new hose is severed by a cutting blade such as a hacksaw or a bandsaw, it is very difficult to cut the terminal end of the hose to be perpendicular to the side wall of the hose. Normally, specialized equipment is required to cut the terminal end of a new hose to be perpendicular to the side wall of the hose Such specialized equipment is normally beyond the cost requirement and the use requirement of the hose consumer. Fortunately, in many cases, the method of coupling the terminal end of the hose to the terminal end of another hose through a coupling does not require the terminal end of the hose to be perpendicular to the side wall of the hose.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,193 issued May 19 1987, I disclosed a novel hose coupling having a terminal insert and an annular seal. In a second U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,188 issued May 19, 1987, I disclosed a novel hose coupling wherein the terminal end of a first hose was abutted against the terminal end of a second hose for providing a hose to hose coupling. This hose to hose coupling had the benefit of eliminating any contact of the material internal the hose with any hose coupling material. For example, in a sand blasting or wet blasting operation, the particulate material within the hose did not abrade the coupling material since the first and second hoses were coupled end to end to simulate a single or continuous hose. In a subsequent patent application Ser. No. 413,845 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,776 filed Sep. 27, 1989, I disclosed a further improvement to my prior coupling which also incorporated a hose to hose engagement.
Although the hose to hose engagement provides superior results over the prior art coupling devices, the terminal ends of the hoses must be accurately severed to be free of the serration pattern produced by conventional mechanical or electric saws. Furthermore, the hose to hose engagement of my prior inventions require the terminal ends of each of the abutting hose sections to be perpendicular to the side wall of the respective hose section.
In my prior Patent application Ser. No. 445,963 filed Dec. 4, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,155 I disclosed a novel means for trimming a terminal end of a flexible hose to produce a smooth surface which is perpendicular to the side wall of the hose. This apparatus contributed a substantial improvement over the prior art in that the invention incorporated an undercut aligned with the cutting element. The undercut provided a support to the hose on either side of the blade, and thereby prevented flexing of the hose during the cutting operation. The invention was an excellent device for cutting a flexible hose.
However, a cutting blade biased against the cutting surface by a spring offers only limited cutting ability. While my prior invention works well for unprotected cables, it provided only limited cutting ability for cables which are armored or have casings which are otherwise difficult to penetrate. The present invention provides an improved cutting capability which allows for the cutting of cables which are armored or otherwise difficult to cut.
Therefore it is a primary object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and portable hose trimming apparatus for trimming or dressing a terminal end of a hose to produce a smooth surface on the terminal end of the hose and to produce a terminal end of the hose which is perpendicular to the side wall of the hose.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hose trimming apparatus incorporating means for securing the apparatus to a hose for enabling a revolving cutting head to rotate about the hose for severing the side wall of the hose.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hose trimming apparatus incorporating a support member which is at least partially insertable within an internal bore of the hose and incorporating expandable means disposed on the support member for expanding within the internal bore of the hose for securing the support member to the hose.
Another object of this invention is to provide a hose trimming apparatus for trimming a hose which may be electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically powered and may quickly severe a hose with simple mechanical effort.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hose trimming apparatus which may be used by an unskilled or semi-skilled person and still provide superior results.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hose trimming apparatus which is safe to use by unskilled or semi-skilled person.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hose trimming apparatus which is reliable and durable and which incorporates a low cost replaceable revolving cutting head.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hose trimming apparatus able to cut a hose with armored outer, inner, or intermediate sheathing, or which is otherwise difficult to penetrate.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.